2012 Traverse City Film Festival Open Space Movies

Traverse City Film Festival 2012: See a movie under the stars while relaxing by the shore at these outdoor films showed at the Open Space in Traverse City, on West Grand Traverse Bay. Movie magic on Grand Traverse Bay is free for everyone. The biggest screen, the biggest stars, the biggest sound—nothing is better than watching a Hollywood classic with friends and family on a 60-foot screen by the Bay. Come early for free music, entertainment and fun beginning at 7 pm.

The People’s Choice: Footloose

Each year, some of the best ideas for the film festival come from you! So this year, the TCFF is doing another People’s Choice Night. On Opening Night, Tuesday, July 31, TCFF will put the winner up on the gi-mungo screen that sits at the edge of the bay. What will it be? The People have spoken! “Footloose” (the Kevin Bacon one) is this year’s People’s Choice Open Space film! On Tuesday, July 31 “Let’s Hear it for the Boy” and the folks of Traverse City as we watch the People’s Choice selection under the stars. It’s a foot-stomping, hand-clapping piece of 1980s pop-cheese nostalgia that will have you singing along. And like all Open Space films, it’s free.

Tuesday at Dusk

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

1982 | USA | PG | 113 min.

Boldly going where he has gone before, Captain James T. Kirk leaves his paper-pushing desk job to reunite with Spock and the crew of the USS Enterprise. But what starts out as a routine training mission turns into the battle of a lifetime once Kirk crosses paths with Khan, a former foe fresh out of exile and hell-bent on exacting vengeance. The stakes grow higher after Khan is found in possession of Genesis—a device wielding the power of both ultimate creation and destruction—leading one beloved member of the Enterprise to make the ultimate sacrifice. An action movie is only as good as its villain, and the sadistic tyrant Khan helps make this swashbuckling space opera the most critically acclaimed Star Trek movie to date. Embrace your inner Trekkie and join us at the Open Space: The Final Frontier.

Wednesday At Dusk

Rebel Without A Cause

1955 | USA | PG-13 | 111 min.

Released just months after the untimely death of star James Dean, “Rebel Without a Cause” begat the legend of Dean’s eternal teenager and his status as the epitome of cool. Dean plays Jim Stark, a student with a troubled past who hopes to start fresh in a new school, but quickly runs afoul of the big man on campus. While Jim finds kinship with fellow lost souls (played by Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo), the bullying turns violent amidst switchblades and “chickie runs,” triggering a chain of events over the course of 24 hours that builds to a crescendo of tragedy. Nicholas Ray’s stunning film is remembered not only for Dean’s iconic performance, but also for its frank and honest depiction of teenage angst, generational differences, and the very human search for meaning and connection.

Thursday At Dusk

When Harry Met Sally…

1989 | USA| R | 96 min.

Can men and women ever just be friends? That is the question at the heart of this uproarious film from director Rob Reiner (“The Princess Bride”) and writer Nora Ephron (“Julie & Julia” TCFF ‘09) that ushered in a new era of smart romantic comedies. A series of chance encounters over the course of 12 years transforms the persnickety Sally (Meg Ryan) and the abrasive but good-hearted Harry (Billy Crystal) from bitter enemies to friends. But as they support each other through the ups and downs of love, they just may discover that what they have been looking for has been right in front of them all along. Crystal and Ryan’s palpable chemistry and the always hilarious and often insightful commentary on male-female relationships will leave you wanting to “have what they’re having” on this Friday night for mature audiences at the Open Space. We honor the memory of Nora Ephron with this screening.

Friday At Dusk

Wall-E

2008 | USA | G | 98 min.

“It Only Takes a Moment” to fall in love with the indomitable robot at the center of this Pixar master- piece. After 700 years dutifully cleaning up the mess left on the abandoned toxic planet we call Earth—with only a very resilient cockroach and VHS copy of “Hello Dolly” to keep him company— WALL·E meets a sleek robot named EVE with a mysterious directive and is instantly smitten. When EVE’s programming calls her away following the discovery of a plant seedling, WALL·E follows her across outer space and embarks on an adventure that will change the fate of mankind, reminding us what it means to be human. Featuring the vocal talents of Sigourney Weaver and our very own Jeff Garlin, “Put on Your Saturday Clothes” and come to the Open Space for a celebration of the art of animation.

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